The Hunger Games Saving Annie's Sanity
by finnickinmypants
Summary: This is my account on the events that lead to the love story of Finnick and Annie Odair, from the beginning to the very tragic  or not so tragic  end.  The main character are not mine and have merely been borrowed from Suzanne Collins.
1. Chapter 1

Saving Annie's Sanity.

The little girl called out to her mother, eyes flowing with tears. She knew she wouldn't be able to hear her cry for help. She was dead. She couldn't even move, much less hear her daughter wail out into the night.

Being five years old, little Annie Cresta didn't get the concept of death. When she asked her father when her mother will wake up from her sleep, he just shook his head, tried to give her his best smile and said she never would. Annie asked him why and he just said she was in a better place now. She wept, told him that there was no place better than home and tried to revive her mother. It didn't work. So she ran away from the little shack-like house they called the 'funeral home'

Her mother—the woman who held her at night when she was scared of the dark, the only woman who can cook her fish the way she wanted it, the only woman who made her father drop the fishing nets he constantly wove—was dead.

Everything seemed like a blurry heap of nothingness as she ran, ignoring her father's calls from behind her. She ran until she could not hear him anymore. She ran farther away even though she looked back and there was no sign of the tall brown-haired man chasing her. It took her a while to realize that she was all alone now. And when she did, she stopped running and slumped to the ground in a little ball, not caring where she was. She had lost her mother and now, she had lost her father as well.

Amidst the sound of the waves splashing against the shores of District Four and her own sniffing, she heard footsteps walking toward her.

"Hey kid," the voice said. "You okay?"

Annie looked up to see a taller boy, maybe about one or two years older than her, looking down at her huddled figure.

When she didn't answer, he asked, "Where's your mother?"

This only made more tears flow down Annie's cheeks as she bitterly replied "Dead."

The boy's eyes grew with sympathy. He watched as she wrapped her arms around her legs as she continued to cry. Then, he had an idea.

"Hey," he called out. "Do you know what makes me calm down when I'm crying?" he asked.

She looked up at him with her watery eyes and sniffed. "What?" she asked.

He crouched down in front of her so his face was in level with hers. "Close your eyes," he instructed.

Annie followed obediently. A few seconds later, the sound of the waves and her tears were blocked as he put his hands on either side of her face and covered her ears. Even the boy's voice was muffled as he spoke to her. "Whenever I'm sad, angry or depressed, I always close my eyes and cover my ears to block out everything. And when I'm calmed down, I opened my eyes and take my hands off my ears."

Annie felt herself relax and when she opened her eyes, her breathing became even and she saw the boy smiling. She studied his features. He was handsome, with bronze hair and the same sea-green eyes he she had.

He stood up, stretched his arms and offered his hand to her. "Come on, I'll take you home."

Annie stared at his outstretched hand, wondering if she could trust this stranger.

She shook her head. "My Momma told me to never trust strangers."

But the boy smiled and asked her. "What's your name?"

"Annie Cresta" she answered.

"I'm Finnick Odair. Nice to meet you," he replied. "See? I'm no stranger anymore, am I?"

Annie sniffed again. It was true, this Finnick Odair was no longer a stranger since she knew his name. Plus, she really wanted to go home to her father.

"Okay," she said as she finally held his hand. He pulled her up as she pointed out the direction of her house.

And that was the day Annie Cresta's sanity was saved… for the first time.


	2. Chapter 2: Five Years Later

Hey guys! I just wanted to thank you all sooo much for the wonderful reviews! I love you people and I hope you guys can continue supporting me in this fanfic!

Well, here's chapter two!

Chapter 2: Five years later.

"No," the girl said stubbornly, clutching on the fishing net as if her life depended on it. "It's either that or nothing."

"Come on, little girl," said Buck the fisherman. "I've already offered my best price."

Annie shook her head cutely and gave him that charming smile she always did to make a sale. "This isn't just a normal fishing net, Buck," she reminded him. "It's one of Alexander Cresta's finest and you know it."

Buck bit his lip, looking at the finely wound threads of the fishing net, proven to increase fishing yields up to a minimum of thirty percent. He needed the extra fish to sell them for extra cash and this fishing net was the perfect one to use. Sighing, he extracted his money pouch from his pocket and gave the net weaver's daughter the sum she asked for. "You know…" he began telling her. "… for a ten year-old, you can be pretty devious."

Annie laughed a tinkling one. "It was nice doing business with you too, Buck," she said, winking. Buck grunted something inappropriate and took the fishing net from her hands. When he left, she counted the money and walked over to her father.

"Made another one, Dad," she reported proudly.

Alexander laughed and gave his daughter a hug. "That's my girl!" he exclaimed happily.

Ever since his wife died, Alexander Cresta had been the one taking care of Annie. To be honest, he lost it when his wife had passed on and when Annie had run away from him that night, he was afraid he had lost her too. Before he had completely lost all hope, he had heard a knock on his door and there she was, shaking in the arms of a little boy who looked a bit older than her. Ever since then, he swore that he would do everything in his power to take care and support Annie.

That boy, Finnick Odair as introduced himself when he had asked for his name, had saved his sanity too. It was a shame that he never saw him again after that night five years ago. He would've wanted Annie to get to know him better. Annie still thought of him more often than her father did, too.

"So, what's for dinner?" Annie asked him cheerily.

"Why do you even ask that?" Alexander replied with a question. "You know we can't afford any other food unless it's your birthday."

Annie chuckled. She too had wondered why she had asked that question. Even though her father had sold his quality fishing nets at a reasonable price and had multiple orders from fishermen everywhere everyday, they still couldn't afford a meal more expensive than the green-tinted seaweed bread and the salted fish they ate every single meal of every single day. Unless it was her birthday, when she could eat whatever she wanted.

So that night, they had their usual routine. They came home at approximately seven o' clock that evening like they always had. They took turns in washing up in the tiny bathroom they shared, Annie taking longer than her father. They both chatted for a while, talking about District Four and things that were going on with the Capitol, always avoiding the subject of the Hunger Games because Alexander's childhood best friend, Marcus Flynn, had died in the arena, fighting for his life. Then they sat at their microscopic dining table and munched on their seaweed bread and salted fish. That was when Alexander got the message.

The teenage boy who acted as the messenger knocked on the door as they were taking their last bit of fish. Alexander stood up to answer him and when he went back to the table, Annie saw that his face was white.

"Is everything alright, dad?" she asked, concerned.

Alexander swallowed. "Someone just requested twenty fishing nets especially made by me," he told her.

Annie's eyes widened with part surprise, part delight. "Who would ask for so many?" she wondered aloud. Was there such a thing as a whole association of fishermen? She didn't think so. Usually, groups of fishermen only reached up to about five people.

"Apparently, the oldest son of one of the townspeople, my old schoolmate, Weston just turned twelve and they're starting to make his training for the games tougher in case he gets picked for the reaping," Alexander replied, shaking his head with disdain. Briefly, Annie wondered why a boy would be using so much fishing nets for his training. "The things they make those children do… train them to kill people, make them think it's all for the glory, everything they should live for even if death is inevitable."

Annie flinched. Marcus was a Career and look where it got him. He wound up to the final two until a girl from District Eight took his life with a poisonous dart. She didn't like the way her father talked with that kind of venom in his voice.

Alexander noticed his daughter being uncomfortable and gave his head a light shake. "It doesn't matter," he told her, putting a smile on his face. "Weston offered me a heap of money and I intend to earn it. I'm going to be making one net a day for twenty days and you're going to deliver them everyday for twenty days. We have to work hard for those nets, Annie. And then we'll have enough money to eat some meat on a normal day."

Annie beamed. She loved it when her father was determined. It would've made her mother proud.

And so the next morning, the Crestas worked. They worked like they'd never worked before on that first fishing net. Annie watched as Alexander wove the net with his expert hands, making the holes just the right size for fish to get trapped and for excess water to seep out. She watched as the beads of sweat fell down the side of his face as a result of making the nooses on the edges of the net perfectly, with utmost concentration. To her, Alexander was an artist, making the most beautiful sculpture mankind has ever seen. She knew that all his hard work would pay off with all the money.

When he was done with the net, he carefully held it up so he and his daughter can admire his flawless work. Then, he gave it to Annie, along with the address of the customer, gave her a kiss on the forehead and sent her off to the town.

The house that was her destination was a mansion compared to the tiny shack she called a home. It was just an average-sized house by the beach, nothing next to the extravagant castle-like manors she had seen in the Victor's Village. She stared at it for a long time, before she saw the name on the door. It belonged to the master of house, naturally.

"Weston Odair," she read aloud. A shiver ran down her spine. Why was the name so familiar? "Yeap, this is the place, Cresta," she told herself, shaking her head a little bit.

She knocked on the door three times and halfway through the next set of three knocks, a boy opened it.

Annie didn't know what had happened to her but she was frozen. The boy was about a head taller than she was and he looked around her age, if not older. But what really struck her was that bronze head of hair, those beautiful features on his face and most of all, his sea-green eyes, which were exactly the same as hers.

The boy was staring at her too, but not the way she was staring at him. He was more curious as to why she was staring at him like he was a new kind of fish of some sort, like he had never seen her before. But there was something about her that was so familiar. That dark brown, tangled hair, those sea-green eyes…

"Can I help you?" said a voice. Annie jumped. Behind the boy, a tall man, who seemed to be Weston Odair with light blonde hair and dark green eyes appeared behind the boy.

It took a split second before Annie could compose herself. "I'm here to deliver Alexander Cresta's nets. She said, holding up the merchandise in her arms."

Weston nodded and said, "Alright, step inside while I get my checkbook."

Obediently, Annie stepped inside the house. It had a cozy air to it, with light brown walls and furniture made of the things rich people use to make their furniture. She looked around, awed. Across the living room was a window that gave a view to what she could make out as the beach, but it had some kind of equipment, like high metal poles with dummies hanging on them, and different kinds of spears, swords and sticks lying around in the sand. She had never seen anything like it.

She didn't notice that the boy was staring at her still until he spoke. "That's my training area."

She looked at him. "Training area?" she repeated.

He nodded. "Yeap. I intend to be totally prepared if I'm going to get reaped," he replied. "That's what the nets are for. I have to practice catching whatever animals or people I can get tangled up with them, and I have to learn how to take them apart and put them back together." he beamed. "Pretty cool, huh?"

Annie gawked at him with bewilderment. Her father's fishing nets were used for catching fish, selling them, and making a living, not for catching people and killing them. Also, her father worked hard on those nets and he wanted _to take them apart_? What kind of sick-minded person would make someone's hard work and labor go to waste? An unexplainable anger rose in her chest and she clenched her fists as she glared at him.

"You are a horrible person!" she scolded him. "You think it's an honor getting picked on those vile games the Capitol makes because they find children killing each other entertaining? And you actually think that winning will make it all better? That just makes me sick! You know what you are? YOU'RE A BIG FAGGOTTY BRAINLESS JELLYFISH! THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE!"

She turned away sharply and closed her eyes while covering her ears—something that had been a habit of hers after she met the boy who saved her sanity all those years ago—while the boy stared at her, shocked. She wondered what was so wrong about closing eyes and covering ears that the boy was gaping at her, his mouth hanging ajar.

"Here's your payment," Weston said as he re-entered the room with a check. He stopped when he saw Annie closing her eyes while covering her ears. He laughed heartily at the sight.

"And I thought my son was the only person in the world who did that," he said as he handed her the check. He and his son accompanied her to the door. "Tell me child, what is your name?"

"Annie Cresta, " she answered, confused about his earlier statement.

Weston smiled warmly and put his hand on his son's shoulder. "Well, Annie Cresta, Finnick and I will be waiting for the other nets to come. And give my thanks to your father for me."

Annie's eyes widened as she heard the boy's name. It can't be, she thought. But she knew it was. And the boy now knew who she was too.

As Weston Odair slowly closed the door, Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta caught last glimpses of each other, mixtures of surprise and confusion mirrored on their faces.


	3. Chapter 3: The Flynn Boy

Hey guys! Here's chapter 3! Terribly sorry if I've missed any typos!

**Chapter 3: The Flynn Boy.**

"No," Annie said stubbornly, her lips forming a thin line. She pushed the second fishing net away with finality.

Alexander frowned, confused by his daughter's sudden action. He held the second fishing net he had so carefully crafted with his artistic hands. He didn't get it. Annie always loved delivering and selling the nets. "Why not?" he asked her.

Annie quickly shook her head again, blushing beet red and stalking back to their house. Alexander sighed and followed her.

"Is this because of the boy?" he asked. "Weston Odair's son?"

Annie turned to him sharply. "How did you know about that?"

Alexander shrugged. "I remembered the name of the boy who brought you back home five years ago. His last name was Odair, right? And I assumed you met him yesterday when you delivered that first net. I trust the reunion wasn't all that pleasant?" he guessed.

Annie drew a breath and sunk down their old couch, pressing her face against a worn-out throw-pillow as if trying to suffocate herself. She moaned something unintelligible.

"Can you repeat that again?" Alexander requested.

Annie raised her head up, eyes full of embarrassed regret. "I called him a faggotty brainless jellyfish," she admitted to him. "It's not exactly the kind of thing you tell someone you're indebted to for the rest of your life, isn't it?"

Alexander was stifling a laugh at his little ten year-old. "I… guess… not," he said in between short guffaws.

Annie threw a pillow at him. "It's not funny, Dad!" she said indignantly. "How am I supposed to face him now?"

Her father drew out a breath and knelt down so her face was level with his. "Tell you what… " he began. "… I'll go with you to deliver the net and then you'll apologize to him. How does that sound?"

Annie looked up to her dad, whose warm smile was so comforting. With a sigh, she reluctantly nodded her head and stood up from the couch, grabbing Alexander's hand. He held the fishing net tightly as they started towards the town, Annie's stomach uneasy due to her nerves racking up.

The walk to the town and up to the Odair's house was excruciatingly long and nothing Annie would do or try to think about would make her rapping heartbeat subside. She thought of all the possible outcomes a twelve-year-old career who is trained to kill innocent teenagers with fishing nets would do to a ten-year-old girl who owes him practically her whole life? It couldn't be _that_ bad, right?

Annie suddenly found herself wondering if heaven had seaweed-tinted loaves of bread.

She was pulled from her reverie when she heard the familiar voice of Weston Odair.

"Alexander," he greeted. Annie thought she heard a mixture of surprise and doubt in his voice. "I didn't expect to see you here, not after what happened…" he trailed off as his eyes flitted toward Annie as if noticing her for the first time. The thought that her father and Weston Odair knew each other was strange to her. Weston was a townsperson who didn't have to go hungry everyday and who could actually afford fresh-caught fish, while Alexander lived in the squatter's are of District Four where all they ate was the seaweed bread and the preserved salted fish form yesterday's catch.

"_Apparently, the oldest son of one of the townspeople, my old schoolmate, Weston just turned twelve and they're starting to make his training for the games tougher in case he gets picked for the reaping_," she remembered her father say. So Weston was his old schoolmate. What was so wrong about that? Annie though to herself. She decided to shrug the thought off as her father replied his old schoolmate.

"Annie asked me to come here with her," said Alexander. "She wanted to talk to your son."

Weston nodded and turned his head into the living room. "Finnick!" he called out. "We have guests!" then he turned to the father and daughter at his doorstep. "Come on in," he invited them.

Inside the house, Annie sat down alone in one of the plus couches in the Odair's living room as the two men retreated to the kitchen to catch up. She thought of what to say to Finnick when she saw him. Ws she supposed to just plainly apologize and run away or did she have to go on her knees and beg for his forgiveness? This boy saved her from going insane because of the loss of her mother and she called him a brainless invertebrate. Who does that? She stared at the front door, which happened to be unlocked. She only had to take approximately seven big steps and she'd be out of there. Maybe run away to a different District, live life under a new name. The plan seemed out of her reach but she seriously considering doing anything. Anything to get out of that house, to avoid the moment she would have to swallow her pride and-

"Hi."

She turned around sharply and her jaw fell as she saw Finnick Odair standing by the kitchen door which led to the living room, dirtily covered with sand, shirtless and holding the new fishing net. Annie noticed that for a twelve year-old, his body didn't look like the bodies of the normal twelve year-old boys she saw swimming at the beach whenever she walked with her father. His build looked somewhat more mature than the others, making her feel like she was in the presence of a young adult, or someone in his late teens.

She swallowed and squeaked a tiny "Hi," back. She felt the air between them intensify and Annie just wanted to die on the spot, aware of the fact that her face was beet red.

"Are you here to call me more names?" he asked her, setting the net down on the floor and walking towards her in long, easy strides. When he was directly in from of her, Annie felt dizzy from the salty scent of the sea that stuck to his body. She looked up at his tall figure and saw that his face was hard.

"About that…" she began. "I'm really sorry about calling you those names… I didn't know that…" she trailed off, somehow not being able to finish her sentence.

Finnick flicked a clump of sand on his shoulder. "You didn't know that I was the guy who found you five years ago crying your eyes out when you couldn't find your way home? Yeah, I could tell," he said with a humorless chuckle.

Annie sighed and sat down on one of the nearby couches. "That's right," she said defeatedly. "I was out of line… it's none of my business, what you do to prepare for the Games. I shouldn't have called you a brainless faggott."

"Don't forget the jellyfish part," Finnick reminded her. "That's important."

Annie looked down at her feet. "And again, I'm sorry…" she tried to think of what to say and just resorted to telling him what she thought. "It's just that… I think it's wrong to have to train yourself to kill people, to be used b the Capitol in those horrible games… I mean, what did those teenagers ever do to you?"

Finnick thought about this and remembered the reason he was even training in the first place. His father had told him to do whatever it took to survive. He didn't care about the fame and fortune winning the games would give his son, he just wanted him to come back. Those were the exact words Weston had uttered the night he told Finnick he was going to start training for the Games. It didn't seem very fair to him when Annie said those pretty hurtful words, because as far as he was concerned, he was only doing what he believed was right. But then again, some people had other opinions on the matter as well, and he realized that he couldn't blame Annie for thinking otherwise.

He looked over at Annie, who was still staring down at her feet, which were dangling from the couch. She still looked like the little girl from all those years ago, only her hair grew in length and was more tangled, and that her then short legs were now more elongated, and the way her limbs were shaped made Finnick assume that she swam a lot. He put on a genuine smile and walked over to her, kneeling down, so their faces met and he covered her ears. Annie, feeling the pressure on either side of her face, looked up to see the green-eyed boy smiling at her just like how it was five years ago. And she smiled too.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" she asked him. Because she really did want to get to know the boy who was there when she was at the brink of insanity. She wanted to get to know her savior.

Finnick nodded and took his hands away from her ears. "I suppose we're good," he said with a smile.

Though it may not have seemed like it, that was the time Finnick Odair saved Annie's sanity yet again. And because of that, they became great friends.

Back in the kitchen, the old "schoolmates" Weston and Alexander were having an intense conversation.

"I don't get it, Weston," said Alexander tiredly. "We always said that the Hunger Games was the Capitol's way of manipulating us. You, me and Marcus. He was only a career because that's how he was raised, but he believed in humanity, like we used to. We promised him before he left for the Games that we wouldn't succumb to this kind of insanity!"

"That was when Marcus was still alive," answered Weston with the same intensity as Alexander. " Look what happened to him. Look what happened to us. We were his best friends and we watched him die right in front of our eyes. No, I'm not going to let my son go unprepared if he gets reaped."

Alexander gave him an exasperated sigh. "Weston—"

"My mind is made up, Alexander," said Weston. "I will train Finnick as if he gets reaped, he WILL live. He WILL survive."

Back in the living room, Finnick and Annie were getting to know each other, chatting away at random things any prepubescent people would talk about. They talked about the Games and how Finnick was going to handle them, if ever he got reaped. They talked about how they both loved the taste of the seaweed-tinted bread of District Four, how salted fish tasted better than regularly steamed and fried fish, according to Annie and how spear-throwing was Finnick's favorite part of training.

"I've always wanted to learn how to use a trident, though," he said to her as she swung her legs back and form from the couch. "That is, by far, my favorite weapon."

Then, there was a sudden knock on the door. A first, the two children stopped talking and just looked at the closed door as if they were waiting for something. The knock came again, stronger and louder, with more urgency this time. Finnick and Annie listened again. The third knock was softer as if a child had shyly rapped his knuckles on the wooden door.

Finnick stood up first, Annie at his hells, hiding behind his back. His hands shook as he slowly opened the door, expecting something to pop up and attack his face, or something along those lines.

When the door was swung fully opened, there stood boy. Taller and Annie but shorter than Finnick, he looked about around their age. He was filthy, covered with dirt and sand and his feet were bare and he was shaking, despite the lukewarm weather. He had a piece of paper in his hand. Annie rushed forward to help the boy, as he looked weak and he was swaying back and forth, as if he were about to faint.

"Are you okay?" she asked him, eyes full of concern, Finnick noticed. She looked up at him. "We should get him something to eat," she suggested.

Finnick nodded and lead the way to the kitchen where the two men were still having their heated conversation. They stopped immediately to see who their children had brought into the kitchen.

"I think he knocked on our door for food," Finnick told his father. Weston looked at Alexander as if he wanted to say something more, but just shook it off and they both rushed to the boy who Annie had now seated at the kitchen table.

Weston leaned forward and asked the shaking boy. "What is your name? Who are your parents and where did you come from?"

The boy looked at him, eyes spilling tiredness and fatigue.

"Tobias Flynn," he answered weakly. "Marcus Flynn's nephew,"

**[Author's note: It will be revealed in future chapters why Tobias (**_**pronounced as Toe-bye-yas)**_**is an important character in the story. Don't make any guesses! And sorry for the boring chapter, I promise to make a better one!]**


	4. Chapter 4: A Tale Of Three Friends

Hey guys! I'm really sorry for the delayed update! I just got home from a vacation in the Philippines, and well… no internet… then when I got back here, out telephone lines got cut, thus the lack of connection here as well! Any readers left? Hope you like this chapter!

Oh, and if you think the story line is going a bit fast, I figured I wanted to skip out on the unimportant parts. ENJOY!

Chapter 4: A Tale of Three Friends.

"Tobias Flynn?" Alexander repeated. "And Marcus Flynn was your uncle?"

Weston and Alexander looked at the boy, examining him very closely. He had brown hair, the color of sand and shockingly deep and warm brown eyes that looked like they had too much hidden pain in them for an adolescent boy. Glasses that were a bit too big for him kept on sliding down the bridge of his long nose. Just as Marcus Flynn had.

"You look just like him," Weston breathed, as if he were in a dream. Behind Tobias, Finnick and Annie looked at their fathers questioningly. So they _did _know each other, Annie thought. She assumed they knew each other more than how she expected. She watched as Alexander extracted a packet of biscuits from a nearby cupboard. It puzzled her that he seemed to know his way around the kitchen, since she thought it was only his first time inside the Odair household.

"Wait, am I missing something here?" Finnick asked. He honestly had no idea about what was going on.

Weston and Alexander looked at each other and sighed. "Kids…" Weston began, looking at the three children. Tobias seemed to be giving them a knowing look as he munched on the biscuits. Annie and Finnick had confusion swept over their faces.

They all sat down on the living room, the two men sitting next to each other on the couch. They looked at the children gravely.

"There were three of us," Alexander began. "There was me, Weston, and this young man's uncle"- he pointed to Tobias- "Marcus Flynn."

"We knew each other since we were children," Weston continued. "Our fathers worked for the Flynn family and we kept Marcus company as. We attended school together, ate every single meal we had together, we did everything together. We were the best of friends." There was a ghost of a smile in his voice as he said it.

"But one thing we didn't do together was train for the games. Marcus' father was a strict man. He trained Marcus and his twin brother, Morgan, all their lives, but in the end, one was spared and the other was reaped…"

Annie looked to her sides, looking at the faces of the two boys on either side of her. Finnick's face was covered with surprise, while Tobias showed that he already knew of this story. More than anyone did, it seemed.

"So, Marcus left District Four and went into the Capitol, using his years of training as his number one advantage against his opponents. We were sixteen at the time. Being a Career tribute, the odds were already at his favor. But he also believed in justice. We watched him from our homes, and I was usually the one holding the hand of his girlfriend back then," Alexander paused and looked at the children one by one, locking eyes with Annie. "Her name was Athena Longstride."

Annie stifled a gasp.

Alexander nodded. "Annie, I think you can figure out what happened there. Anyways, Marcus believed in humanity. Even though he was born and trained to be a killer, a murderer who wasn't supposed to blink as he swept his enemies, he loathed the idea of killing. In the arena, he avoided it as much as possible, and when the Career pack had turned against each other, he snuck off during their big fight and let them slaughter each other. No one was left but him and the lone girl from District 8."

"They fought hard," Weston added, looking into the distance, as if the scene was playing in front of his very eyes. "In the end, he had her on the ground and he was roaring like a monster. He noticed what he was about to do, the monster he had become. At that moment, we saw in his eyes a little glint of humanity and we knew that he had allowed himself to be a piece in the Capitol's games. And just as he was about to plunge his knife into her heart, he slowly put it down and lay it beside the girl. The whole nation of Panem watched as she silently took the dagger with a puzzling look. He just turned his back on her and said 'Make it quick'. And then it was over…"

"Back here in District Four, his body was returned to his family a few days after District 8 was crowned Victor. Athena rushed over and opened the wooden casket that contained his peaceful figure. He really looked like he was asleep, when we peeked in the casket. It was as if we could just poke him and then he'd open his eyes and tell us we were idiots for waking him up. But we knew he would never wake up again…" Alexander continued.

"The three of us cried that night, with Athena. The Flynns had their house on lockdown for about a month, grieving the loss of their beloved son and brother. But the memory of Marcus somehow made us smile, and because of that, we got to move on. Weston and I pulled away from each other, as he opened up a small merchant business, whereas I weaved fishing nets for a living. Athena and I fell in love and we eventually got married. A few years later, we had the most beautiful daughter… and I think you'd know the rest…"

" And I swore to myself that if I ever had a son, I would make him ready for the Gmes, no matter what the cost," Weston added.

There was utter silence as Alexander and Weston finished talking. Annie didn't know what to say. The thing that silenced her the most was the fact that this Marcus Flynn would've been her father if he hadn't died. And Tobias was probably the son of his twin brother, Morgan which meant that Tobias was supposed to be her cousin. But why was Tobias here? Why wasn't he with his father, or his mother?

As if reading her mind, Weston turned to Tobias and asked him gently. "What are you doing here, boy? Aren't you supposed to be with your family?"

A hardness formed in Tobias' eyes and Annie braced herself for another tragic tale of woe.

"There was a fire," Tobias began straightforwardly. "Everyone in my household died—my mother, my father, my grandparents, even the house servants—I barely got out of there alive." He looked down on his filthy clothes, and Annie noticed for the first time that the hem of his shirt was singed. Beside her, Finnick made a slight coughing sound. "I wandered the streets for some weeks, then I stumbled upon this place were some men were drinking. They were talking about the Games where my uncle died. Then they mentioned that he had two close friends that he treated like brothers. So, I asked them where I could find these two men and they led me here."

"I'm eleven years old," he continued. "In five years, I'll be old enough to work, earn some money, gain a new life for myself. But right now, no one's hiring and no one's willing to take me. I'll work for you if you want to, I'll help Mr. Cresta wave fishing nets, or I'll help Mr. Odair in training his son. I just need a place to live, for a while… then I'll be out of your hair."

Weston and Alexander looked at each other. They seemed to be having some kind of wordless conversation, Annie could tell from the rigidity in their eyes. From what she could tell, her father was not capable of having another mouth to feed, given the circumstances in the Cresta household. Weston, on the other hand, was totally capable of taking Tobias under his wing, but how would the boy repay him? He couldn't possibly do anything that was of worth. But then again, this was the last living descendant of Marcus Flynn, who was of great importance to the two men.

After some time of staring at each other, while not speaking at all (Finnick silently wondered how they were able to do that), Alexander finally spoke up.

"I do need an apprentice," he mused, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "And Weston here wouldn't mind having another mouth to feed, won't you, Weston?"

Weston nodded. "Of course. We cherished Marcus and loved him as if he was our own brother. We would be happy to let you stay with us."

Finnick beamed. "Awesome! It'll be like having a brother!" he bumped fists with Tobias as if they had known each other their whole lives. It was palpable that they would get along very well.

Time passed and the three children got closer to each other every day, going to school together, and spending every other moment in between with each other. It was as if they had known each other all their lives, as if the bond between their fathers (and uncle) had been passed down to them. It was funny really, how the universe had somehow brought them together. Finnick began to think that there were other things in life other than train for the games, and Tobias seemed to smile more often since the unfortunate incident at the Flynn household. Annie was able to tighten her grip on her sanity as well. It was as if they were made for each other.

The dawn of Annie's twelfth birthday came in no time. Finnick was fourteen years old, having grown more into his looks. His bronze hair, which used to be short and cropped, now fell in waves on his forehead and bounce whenever he walked. His sea-green eyes now more prominent, seemed to go ablaze as light touched them, making them look fierce and fiery. Because of his outrageously good looks, his name was always on the mouth of every girl in school, and every guy wanted to be him.

Thirteen year-old Tobias was also handsome, but in a more subtle way. If Finnick was a lion, then Tobias would be a deer, as Annie would put it. His hair was now more sandy than brown, and his chocolate eyes always seemed bright, yet shy. He was more withdrawn than Finnick, who tended to be reckless at times. He was also wanted by most girls in school, though not as popular as Finnick.

Annie, however had developed into a beautiful girl. Even at twelve, her sea-green eyes had an inquisitive feel about them, like she wanted to know something from you, and there was always a little pinch of eccentricity in them, giving her eyes a wild and crazy edge, like she was capable of snapping at any given moment. Her tangled brown hair fell down her back in waves that resembled the waves of the sea and as if it was always being blown by a soft wind.

"Happy birthday, Little Cresta," said Finnick, patting her head lovingly as they walked to the beach that day.

Annie pouted and shrugged his hand off. "I'm not so little anymore, Finny," she told him.

Tobias chuckled and stood next to her, emphasizing the fact that she was only at his shoulder level. "Yes you are," he said a matter-of-factly. "You're too small, even for a twelve year-old." 

Annie huffed and stalked away from the two boys, who were laughing at her height. She stood in front of them, narrowing her eyes, her hands at her back. "So, this is how you treat the birthday girl?" she asked sneeringly.

Finnick and Tobias pretended to think for a while then at the same time, said "Yes."

With an agile sweep of her arm, Annie revealed her the hands she hid behind her and hurled the piles of wet sand she was holding at them.

"HEY!" Finnick cried indignantly as a blob of water and sand landed on his hair. "REVENGE!" he cried.

Tobias laughed along and collected his own blobs of sand, throwing both of them at Finnick and Annie, yelling something that resembled a war cry. In no time, a battle arose and the three friends laughed and yelled and threw sand at each other as if they were snowballs.

After their tiring game, they lay down on the beach, their backs on the warm sand, side by side. Annie sighed and held hands with the two boys on either side of her. "This has been a good birthday," she told them happily. "I can't believe I'm twelve years-old today… I still feel like I'm a kid."

Suddenly, as if the universe wanted to disrupt their moment of happiness, the large bell in the center of the town square rang, clanging for all of District Four to hear. This signaled that the reaping was about half an hour away.

Annie, Finnick and Tobias sat up, brushing the sand away from their clothes. A certain kind of hardness had formed in Finnick's eyes. He looked over at Tobias and saw that same hardness reflected on his, too. This was Annie's first year of being eligible for the reaping. Finnick and Tobias remembered the time when they each had their first reapings and it wasn't pleasant. The first time never is. And the fact that the reaping was held every year at Annie's birthday didn't help. They feared for her. Annie, who didn't seem to notice, turned to her friends and bid them goodbye, wishing them luck for the reaping.

The two boys watched as she walked away from them in silence. As her retreating figure diminished into nothing but a dot in the distance, Finnick, who seemed to be dazedly staring at the dot that was Annie spoke up. "I think that Annie Cresta's creeping up on me."

Tobias stared at him quizzically. "What?" he asked, although he knew exactly what Finnick meant.

As if in a trance, Finnick gave his head a little shake and waved his hand dismissively. "Nothing. Let's just get ready for the reaping."

As she made her way home with heavy footsteps, fear overcame Annie. What if she had become chosen? This was her first year. She didn't like it whenever twelve year-olds got picked for the Games. She silently hoped that someone would volunteer to take her place if she were to get reaped. District Four had a lot of Careers, though not as many as the ones in Two, where everyone volunteered. She hoped that the odds would be in her favor, even if it was only for this year.

"Are you ready?" Alexander knocked on the door of the bathroom, where Annie was putting on the pale cream reaping dress she saved for this occasion. It had belonged to her mother when she herself was twelve years old.

"I'm coming," she called back, and looked at herself in the mirror one last time. For a brief moment, she wondered if Finnick would like the dress, but then shook her head and laughed at herself, for having such a thought. With a little shake, she stepped out of the bathroom to present herself to her father.

Alexander's eyes lit up as he saw his daughter in his wife's old dress, but Annie could see that there was a pinch of fear and anxiety in his eyes. "You look beautiful," he told her. And it was the truth.

Annie smiled a crooked one and headed for the door, smoothing the dress down. "Thanks, dad," she said. She tried to keep her voice from shaking when she added, "After all, I need to look pretty if I'm going to get on that stage, right?"

Worry flashed in her father's eyes again but he just looked at her with some sort of mix of admiration, respect and love. "We better get going," he said, and ushered them out of the door.

The square, which had always looked huge to Annie, was very crowded as the citizens of District Four gathered in it around the stage. Annie was taken to the area where they kept the girls eligible for the Games, across the spot where Finnick and Tobias were stationed. She gazed at them with a look that offered them assurance and directed her eyes on the stage, where the seventeen past Victors of District Four sat on a row next to the Mayor and the District Four escort.

Mayor Bagsworth then stepped up to the podium welcoming everyone of District Four to the 65th Hunger Games. The anthem played and then the mayor read out the speech he had been reading every year, starting with the story of how Panem rose from the ruins of what used to be a place called North America, how it was glorious until the dreaded Dark Days when the Districts rebelled against the Capitol, how the Capitol had won the war and how the Hunger Games came to be as punishment for the Districts that had rebelled.

In no time, the escort for District Four, Scorpius Rosenthall, was done with a speech of his own and he bounced up across stage, his scraggly hair bouncing along with him as he skipped to the reaping balls. Annie was reminded of the District Twelve escort, Effie Trinket, whom she had only watched on the televised reruns of the reapings and wondered if being maniacally upbeat was part of the job requirements for being one.

"Alright then, we shall start with the ladies!" Scorpius announced and inserted his arm into the reaping bowl, which was about the size of a full-grown horse. He mixed his arm around for a while and extracted the slip of paper with the girl's name.

"ARIEL GREENWALD!"

Annie breathed out a breath of relief and watched as a huge eighteen year-old girl with two pigtails made her way to the stage and gave everyone a menacing look. It was obvious that she was a Career Tribute and she looked like the kind who would stop at nothing to win the games. Looking at her made a shiver go down her spine. She thanked the heavens for not letting her get chosen.

"And now, the boys!" announced Scorpius. He bounced over to the reaping ball at the other side of the stage and took out a slip of paper, unfolding it carefully.

Annie held her breath, praying for the safety of Tobias and Finnick. Scorpius paused for a moment, as he registered the name written on the slip. And when he did speak it out, the world seemed to stop spinning under Annie's feet.

"**FINNICK ODAIR!"**


	5. Chapter 5: I Believe In You

Hey Guys! well, this is gonna be a really short chapter, so please bear with me! here it is!

Chapter 5: "I Believe In You".

Annie was eleven years old when it happened. She was at the beach, happily swimming with Finnick and Tobias when a poisonous jellyfish had swam its way to her and stung her on the leg. The pain was agonizing. It seemed to start from the spot where she had been stung and spread through the rest of her leg and then up to her hip, where it continued to crawl up to her torso. Tobias had run to get help while Finnick just stayed with her, his face showing no worry, whatsoever. In fact, he even had that arrogant smirk on his face as he walked casually to her figure, which was already twitching on the shore. She cursed him for being so nonchalant about the whole thing. Then, something happened. Annie was too focused on the pain to remember what Finnick did but whatever it was, it made the pain go away. As the fiery pain in her body subsided, she looked up to see him staring down at her and she saw the boy from when she was five years old. Before she could say anything, however, she lost consciousness.

When she woke up, she was at the small local hospital, a tube stuck on her arm. She overheard the doctors say that it was a good thing Finnick was there because apparently, whatever he did made the effects of the poison delayed, giving Annie more time when Tobias arrived with help. It was a close call.

And when Finnick entered her hospital room that day, Annie somehow saw him glowing magnificently, despite the arrogant smirk he always kept on his face. That was the day she started believing that Finnick Odair could do anything.

Annie looked at the crowd of boys in front of her and saw it divide into two as Finnick emerged from the middle. He still wore that smirk but even from far away, Annie could see that his eyes had fear written all over them. She searched herself for the shock and the anger that she expected to feel, but felt nothing. It was like she was numb all over, but at the same time, oddly relaxed. "Why don't I feel anything?" she asked herself. "One of my best friends just got chosen to die and I don't even feel sad or angry at the Capitol for him." But Annie knew the exact reason why she wasn't scared for Finnick.

He stood on his spot on the stage, giving the crowd a dazzling smile. Mayor Bagsworth then made them shake hands and the two new Tributes were led to the justice building to say their goodbyes.

The visiting room in the Justice Building was big, but it seemed to trap Finnick as if he were in a small box. He couldn't breathe properly, he couldn't think straight, and he was surprised he got to keep his act together on that stage. It was all he could do to make sure he wouldn't break down.

This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to get reaped at seventeen, not three years earlier, when his training wasn't complete and when his life was getting on to perfect. Annie Cresta had already started creeping up on him and he wanted to see where it could go, but now, he was sure that he was never going to see her or Tobias again. This wasn't the plan. He pulled his bronze hair from the roots and he paced around the room like a crazy person.

He jumped when he heard the knock on the door and in came his father, ushered by two big peacekeepers. "You have five minutes," they told him.

Weston nodded as the Peacekeepers exited the room and went forward to hug his son tightly. "You better come home," he told him with fierce determination. Finnick could feel his yes getting wet but he didn't allow the tears to fall. "No matter what happens, you have to promise me that you'll do whatever it takes to get back here alive," Weston added.

Finnick's answer came out in a whisper. "I promise."

Weston gave him some reminders about what to do if the gong sounds, when to get in and out of the cornucopia and such, then the Peacekeepers entered the room and ushered him out. He gave his son one last look and just before the door closed, he said "She'll be waiting for you too."

"Wait, what—" Finnick began, but the door had closed.

The next visitor was Alexander, who gave him a short hug and a pat on the back, telling him that to this day, he was thankful that he had brought Annie home to him, and how he could never repay his kindness. That he treated Finnick as his own son as well and that he wanted him to come back to them. Tears were glistening in his eyes.

After Alexander left, Tobias entered the room. He looked at Finnick and gave him a small smile, his glasses, falling on the bridge of his nose again. "Kick some serious butt over there, Odair," he told him, and punched him on the shoulder. "Tobe…" Finnick began. "If something happens to me, take care of Annie, okay?"

Tobias smiled at him again, but this time, his eyes showed fear and sadness, as if he had already accepted the fact that Finnick wouldn't make it. "Good," Finnick thought. "At least there's one person who won't cry for me that much, since he's already accepted my death."

"Since when have I ever left Annie alone?" Tobias countered. Finnick chuckled but he felt a little weight down his heart. Didn't he _want _Tobias to take care of Annie? Or did he want to take care of her himself?

Tobias gave him one last hug and he was taken away by the Peacekeepers. Now, there as one visitor left.

She seemed to glow as she entered the room with the pale cream dress flowing down to her ankles. Finnick couldn't help but think that he liked her in that dress very much. Maybe even a little _too_ much.

Unlike the other visitors, she didn't seem fazed by the fact that Finnick's death was imminent. In fact, she seemed to be happy.

"Annie…" Finncik began to talk anyway. "This might be the last time I see you… I just want to tell you that—"

Annie stopped him by putting her hand up and said. "This won't be the last time you see me."

Finnick raised a brow. "Annie, aren't you scared about me?" he asked her, puzzled.

Annie gave him a confident smile. "Finnick, I'm not scared at all… I know for sure that you _will_ come back home to District Four. And when you do, that's when you tell me whatever you were planning to tell me now."

"But why don't you want me to just say what I want to say to you now?" he asked again.

Annie smiled at him, bright and secure. "Because if you said it to me now, you won't have a reason to come back," she answered.

She walked toward him and took something out of her pocket. It was a bracelet. Just a single band of black leather that was secured by two pieces of string on either ends of the band tied together. Finnick looked at the bracelet and saw that "ANNIE" was carved on it. "Take it as your token," she told him. "And give it back to me when you come home."

Finnick looked at her. "What makes you think I'll come home?" he asked in a deadly whisper.

Annie placed her hands on either side of his face, on his cheeks, making him look into her eyes, green on green. "Because I believe in you," she whispered back.

The door opened and the two Peacekeepers ushered Annie out of the door. She looked at Finnick one last time as the door closed and blew him a kiss. Finnick reached his hand out as if trying catching it and when she was no longer seen on the other side of the door, placed it on his lips.

Out of all the people he cared about, Annie was the only one who totally believed the would make it home. She had more faith in him than anyone else had and Finnick could feel something stirring inside his started to believe that he really could do it. Surely, he had something that none of the other competitors would have. He had something to live for, didn't he? The only thing he had to do was believe in himself. He stared down at the leather bracelet in his hand, so plain-looking, yet so precious to him. At that moment, he knew that was he totally capable of believing he could do this and accomplishing anything. He knew he had a big chance of going back home to his father, To Alexander, to Tobias, and all the others waiting for his return. He could bring glory to District Four, be rich and to never make any of the people he cared about suffer with the common problems the poor go through.

And it only took a dash of faith from Annie Cresta to do it.


	6. Chapter 6: The Capitol

Greetings, tributes! Well, here's another update from me! And I have a little announcement! My parents decided to cut off my net time to only an hour a day (booooo) so I won't be able to update as fast! But I'll still be writing! I am very sorry! And also, I apologize in advance for any typos because, I didn't check this chapter very thoroughly!

AND ALSO! I have used my amateur Photoshop skills to make a decent-enough looking poster for this story! Check it out here! - finnickinmypants|tumblr|com/post/7042719000 (you can reblog it if you want :P) - just change the **"|"** to **"."... sorry about that, something's wrong with my ff.**

So without further ado… I GIVE YOU…

Chapter 6: The Capitol

The train ride to the Capitol was painfully uneventful in some ways, interesting in others. Finnick just spent his time in his train car, moping around and thinking of battle strategies. He thought through all of the things his father taught him in his years of training. Secretly, he would examine Ariel, his female counterpart, how she moved and the way she would grunt at almost anything Scorpius would say. The only time everybody was actually seen together was during meals, where Scorpius would chatter on about endless schedules while their mentor, a seventy year-old woman named Mags, would tell Ariel and Finnick stories about her youth. Apprently, he was the Victor of a games that were extremely long ago. So long ago, that she forgot which year it was. She told them that she was a little girl when the Dark Days were, and she remembered the very first Hunger Games, because they were initiated when she was eight. Finnick could see the sadness that formed in her eyes as she told them about the very first time children were chosen to die.

Ariel, however, seemed to be unfazed by Mags' exciting stories, so whenever Mags would recall another memory, she would go to the other District Four mentor, Kratos, who was a big, burly man,maybe in his mid-thirties, with a uni-brow. Ariel looked like someone who could be his daughter, with her muscley body and the dark braids that always fell to her hips.

Other than that, Finnick would lie on his bed, wondering about what would happen in the arena. Surely, he would be obliged to team up with the other Careers to ensure maximum survival. Then what? would he just kill them mercilessly after they would turn against each other? He didn't think it would work. The teenagers there were probably older than him by a year or two, and definitely stronger. He was only fourteen, for crying out loud.

"You have a reason to come back," said a voice in his head. He noticed, after a while, that it sounded remarkably like Annie's. Instinctively, his left hand went to his right wrist and he stroked the leather bracelet on the place where her name was carved on. He needed to try, if he wanted to get back to her, if he wanted to get back to his old life in District Four, with Weston, Alexander and Tobias. He felt a sudden pang at his heart when he thought of Tobias holding Annie's hand as she would watch him in the arena, he eyebrows doing that little crinkle that always appeared whenever she was worried about something. He remembered Alexander and Athena, how they ended up together because they shared the grief of losing someone they loved. Could that possibly happen between Tobias and Annie?

Why was he even thinking about it? Annie had merely crept up on him, it wasn't like he was in love with her already. No, all that happened was the realization that Annie was more important to him than he thought she was.

"Which is why I have to get back to her," he told himself. His mind was made up. He would do everything in his power to go back home to tell Annie Cresta that…. that what? That he loved her as more than a close friend, possibly as a sister? That was pathetic. Finnick found himself not knowing what his feelings were anymore. What _was_ Annie to him? A friend? No, a sister? Maybe something more than that?

Eventually, tiredness overtook him and he greatly succumbed to sleep.

Finnick was awoken by the sharp jab of Mags's cane on his ribs as he pried his eyes open, detesting the inordinate amount of light entering his pupils.

"We're almost there," Mags told him, poking again and again. "You should get yourself cleaned up." And with that, she left Finnick alone to his own preparations.

Feeling in no mood to get up whatsoever, he lay in bed for a few minutes before finally gathering up the strength to sit up and blink his heavy eyes at the sunlight streaming through the small open spaces between the curtains of his compartment. He walked to his bathroom and turned on all the taps until the bathtub was filled with warm water. Then, using a big salt-shaker he stole from the dining area, he sprinkled salt all over the bath and climbed in the tub. The water wasn't as salty as the one in the beaches of District Four, but it would do. He felt closer to home that way… closer to Annie.

After his salted bath, Finnick got dressed, putting on simple pants and a blue shirt that seemed to be heavily in contrast with the green in his eyes, thus bringing them out more. When he arrived at the compartment where they had their meals, Finnick saw that everyone else was waiting for him, dressed and ready to open the train doors and greet the crowd in the Capitol. He could actually hear the hoots and the cheers through the thick steel walls of the train and an empty pit was suddenly formed in his stomach. Just outside of those doors, there were people who would willingly watch him die; they were betting on his life, casting lots to see who'd get the biggest share. They were ruthless, cruel, heartless people and he had to go out of those doors to face them. He had to look like he didn't care about being reaped, that he didn't give a damn about the fact that he was being presented to death himself. If he wanted sponsors, he had to show the people that he wasn't scared. He looked down at his wrist and stared at the leather bracelet, trying to breathe evenly and trying not to show the others he was faltering.

The train doors opened and a gust of wind blew through the opening. The hooting and cheering of the Capitol citizens were louder now, and Finnick wasted no time in trying to pull it together. He put on that arrogant smirk he always had on his face whenever he was in trouble to show others he was fearless and walked out of the train, with an air of confidence.

As Finnick walked out of the train, he kept that smirk on his face and winked at the crowd, which sent them berserk. Annie chuckled to herself, as she thought that even in live TV, Finnick Odair could always pull it together.

"What's so funny?" Tobias asked her, plopping down on her side in front of the television set at the Odair house.

Annie shook her head, still chuckling. "It's just that Finnick still looks like a jerk on TV," she told him. "I actually thought he'd look more… human."

Tobias laughed as well. "From what I heard, the camera adds like ten more pounds to a person," he said. "Look's like Finny here's trying to look his best for the ladies." He nodded toward the screen, where a gaggle of girls was shrieking as Finnick passed them by, giving them a seductive wink and licking his lips.

"Oh, he's only fourteen, for crying out loud," Annie blurted out before she could stop herself. Tobias raised his brow, half smiling, amused. "You know…" Annie tried to cover up, her cheeks turning scarlet. "… pedophiles," she reasoned weakly.

Tobias looked at Annie again, as if he were mocking her in his head, and munched on a biscuit from the table in front of them. He seemed to be expecting Annie to say something more on the matter of Finnick flirting with the fans. "Just shut up and watch," she told him, grabbing the biscuit and putting what was left of it in her mouth.

She gave herself a mental slap. _Annie_ _Cresta, why would you say such a thing like that?_ she thought, scolding herself. She tried to pay attention to the TV, where Ariel Greenwald was passing by the gaggling group of girls, giving them a menacing look. They shrank back in fearand backed away as quickly as they could. Then, the camera was back on Finnick again, who was looking at confident as ever, catching a kiss blown by one of the ladies in the crowd and placing it on his cheek. Annie remembered that she blew him a kiss before she left him at the Justice building. She wondered if he ever caught it, and if he did, where did he put it? Knowing Finnick, he would have probably shoved it up his butt to mock her. It was normal of him to do those things, but something twisted at her chest and she didn't know what. She decided to ignore the feeling as she watched Finnick Odair kiss the head of a baby n the arms of a woman with orange hair that went in all directions.

Finnick finished his round with the audience and headed into the car that was waiting for him, to the remake center, where he would soon be greeted by his prep team.

"I don't really think we need much prepping," examined, Lupus, a tall thin man, with hair that pretty much consisted of all the colors of a rainbow. His hand was stroking the tip of his chin as he thoughtfully, examined Finnick's bare naked body. He felt violated, having to stand in front of his prep team as he watched them look at every inch of his body thoughtfully. He even caught Aurora, a small woman about the size of a nine year-old with eyes that looked as if they were colored pink with a permanent marker and a shaved head, looking at a censored are for more than what she was supposed to.

"You're right," piped in Gorea, an even tinier woman who sounded like a mouse, her big eyes growing even wider as she hopped beside Lupus. "He's almost perfect."

Finnick's eyes trailed to the mirror in front of him and saw what he saw everyday—the wavy bronze hair above his eyes, his ripped body as a result from all those years of training, his sea-green eyes that were exactly like Annie's—he didn't feel perfect at all, just the ordinary Finnick Odair. He knew he didn't exactly look bad, and that his looks were more than average, but he didn't really describe himself as perfect either.

The prep team just decided to trim his hair a little it so it wouldn't entirely cover his eyes and cleaned him up. After that, they just left him as he was in a robe.

After the prep team left, Finnick sat down on one of the couches in the room and looked out the window. The remake center was a huge building, where each District had a floor to itself. Even though he was only on the fourth floor, Finnick thought he was on top of the world. He smiled to himself, thinking that Annie and Tobias would love the view up there. The Capitol was indeed a majestic city, filled with high skyscrapers of millions of bright colors, some too painful to look at for more than two seconds. The multi-colored cars looked like little ants as they moved through the roads and highways, the people with their outrageous fashion sense strolling up and down, like noticeable insects.

He was pulled from his reverie when the door was suddenly opened and a tall, curvy woman walked in. She had fair skin and her eyes seemed to look like their natural color, but what really made Finnick look at her was her face. It looked like she had one too many surgeries so the skin looked overstretched into a grotesque-looking smile.

"It's either my prep team did an exceptional job, or didn't do anything with you at all," she said in a voice that sounded like her voice box couldn't decide if it was male or female. "Mortitia Porter, at your service."

As Finnick strode over to her and shook her wrinkly hand, he couldn't help think that his stylist would be better off as a sideshow in a circus.


End file.
